Su Qinglan woke up slowly, her eyelids fluttering as warm sunlight filtered faintly through the leaves of the treehouse.
The rain was still falling outside, but it had softened into a gentle drizzle instead of the violent storm from before.
For a moment, her mind was blank, drifting peacefully somewhere between sleep and waking. But then her stomach growled loudly.
That was what finally woke her up completely.
She blinked her eyes open…only to find Hu Yan looking at her and he looked like he hadn't slept in a thousand years.
She stared at him and he stared back.
For three full seconds, nobody said anything.
Then Su Qinglan softly cleared her throat. "Um… good morning?"
Hu Yan stepped forward. He kneeled down beside her, his expression surprisingly gentle for someone who looked like he could fight a wild buffalo with his bare hands. He reached for a cloth and a bowl of water he had already prepared.
